Foundations
by The Crownless Queen
Summary: Some friendships are like families. :: The marauders, during their years at Hogwarts. Drabble collection.
1. Seeing Off

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: A parent/guardian/sibling seeing someone off, and the Back to School Event: (character) Remus Lupin.

 _Word_ _count:_ 374

 **Seeing Off**

"Lyall, are you sure we should be doing this?" Hope fretted, rearranging Remus' clothes for the nth time in the last five minutes. "Look at him," she continued, eyes frantically switching back and forth between Remus and his father, "he's too young to go to Hogwarts, to leave us. What if _something_ happens?"

The emphasis she put into the word _something_ had Remus draw back into himself, pulling away from his mother.

"Mum, please, you said I could go," he said at the same time as his father spoke reassuringly, "Dumbledore told us he'd taken every precaution, it'll be fine. Stop worrying so much."

Hope grabbed her husband's hand like it was a lifeline. She sighed, looking at her son apologetically. "I'm sorry, Remus, but you know I only worry because I love you."

Remus forced a smile, hoping it looked more natural than it felt. From his mother's wince, it didn't. "I know, Mum. I love you, too. I'll be fine, you'll see. And I'll write you a lot of letters, and do all my homework on time, and I'll be the best student in my year, I swear."

For some reason, it only made his parents look sad. Behind them, someone on the train started to call out for everyone to embark, and Hope dragged him into a tight hug. "Try to make some friends, alright? Don't forget to have some fun."

Remus nodded, throat too tight for words. _Him, making friends? Please. He was a werewolf - a dangerous monster. Coming to Hogwarts was an incredible chance, he wasn't about to put anyone at more risk than he already did by simply coming here._

His parents were still smiling when Remus took his seat, waving at them through the window. For a moment, he let himself imagine that he was normal - wrapped himself in the idea that he could have what every other kid in this train had, of how peaceful and nice that pain-free life would be. And then he let the bubble pop, letting in the dreary real world back in.

Sighing, he took out his Potions book and started reading. He was getting the best education he could. Best make something good out of it.


	2. Uniform

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: During the train ride to Hogwarts and the Back to School Event: (word) Uniform.

 _Word count:_ 360

 **Uniform**

"We should put our uniforms on. And get cleaned up," James suggested when he saw that night had fallen outside. "I think we'll be there soon."

Sirius looked up from their game of Exploding Snap with a frown. He had soot all over his face and hands, from when he had unexpectedly managed to save his eyebrows two rounds ago, and James had to bite back a laugh.

"You're sure you're not trying to cheat me out of my well-earned victory, Potter?" Sirius frowned, guarding his cards jealously.

James rolled his eyes. "Right. And by victory, I assume you mean 'third loss in a row', is that it?"

Sirius scowled, staring doggedly at the cards already on the table. "I can still win, I can feel it."

"You keep telling yourself that. In the meantime, I'm going to go change and clean up in the bathroom - I kinda don't want to show up looking like this for the Sorting," James replied, gesturing at himself. He was fully aware that he was in a similar state as Sirius, and his mother would kill him if she heard he'd shown up at Hogwarts looking like a hooligan.

"At least you got the fiery Gryffindor part already," Sirius snickered, ducking with a yelp when James tried to slap the back of his head.

"Come on, we can resume this game tonight, once we're Sorted," James said.

"Once _we're_ Sorted?" Sirius asked, voice strangled.

James looked at him like he was mad. He was already halfway out of the door.. "Well, yeah. Didn't you say you wanted to stick it to your parents and all that? You should totally come to Gryffindor with me! It'll be fun, you'll see."

"I…" Gryffindor. Why hadn't he thought of that himself? Merlin, his mother would be going postal if she knew Sirius was even entertaining the thought of joining their rival House, and yet Sirius couldn't stop smiling at the thought.

He scrambled after James, grabbing his uniform on the way out of the compartment. "I'm going to bury you tonight, Potter, just you wait!"

James only laughed, and soon enough, Sirius was laughing too.


	3. Being Sorted

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: The Sorting Ceremony and the Back to School Event: (scenario) Being Sorted by the Sorting Hat.

 _Wor_ _d count:_

 **Being Sorted**

"A Hat?" Sirius scoffed, once Professor McGonagall had let them into the Great Hall. "Seriously? All this hype and mystery and suspense, and the Sorting is done by a Hat?"

James looked like he was holding in his laughter and Sirius sent him his darkest glare. It was one he had learned from his mother, though lately he had taken to mixing it up with some of his Cousin Bellatrix's. He thought it looked pretty good - at least when he had practiced it in front of the mirror, the mirror had told him that he "looked positively frightening, dear, keep up the good work" - but for some reason it only made James laugh harder.

Sirius looked on in horrified fascination as the Hat opened its mouth - could it even be called a mouth for a hat? - and started singing.

"James," he announced as seriously as he could muster, "I have been cheated. Betrayed. How could my own blood hide this, this-"

"-monstrosity?" James suggested in between sniggers.

"-spectacle from me?" Sirius said, glaring at James again for the interruption.

"This the same family you told me was evil, right?" James whispered after a moment of silence.

Sirius paused. Ahead of them, the Hat finished its song.

"Yes," he finally answered. "But still, I feel like they should have warned me." He paused again, this time in consideration. "Say, do you think any item of clothing could learn to sing like that?"

James laughed, quickly burying the sound in his hands and trying (and failing) to look innocent as all attention turned on him. "Well, I sure want to find out now."

Sirius nodded, a silent pledge that they would. "Anyway, how did you know about the Hat?"

"Oh," James relied, smirking, "it's a Potter family tradition. Mother didn't want to tell me, but my father overruled her. It's kind of our thing, to watch other people's reactions to it."

Sirius pouted, and James elbowed him in the side. "Cheer up, you'll get your chance next year."

Sirius was about to retort when his name was called.

"Well, go on then," James said, nudging him forward. "And don't forget to save me a seat, okay?"

And somehow, that was all it took for Sirius to gather the courage to step forward, and stop doubting that he belonged anywhere but in Gryffindor. "See you on the other side," Sirius quipped, walking with his head held high.

And sure enough, moments later he was joining the red and gold table, an empty seat by his side reserved for James. The Hat had told him he had courage in his heart, that he could be more than his family told him to be, and Sirius intended to prove him right - to show the world that this Black had deserved his short Sorting, and that he belonged in Gryffindor.


	4. Getting Lost

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: Meeting new friends and the Back to School Event: (scenario) Getting lost at a new school.

 _Word_ __ _count:_

 **Getting Lost**

There was no doubt about it, Peter was lost. Utterly and completely lost. He turned on himself again, fighting back tears of frustration and the urge to bite his nails anxiously.

Merlin, what would his mother say if she heard he'd missed his first class? How could he face her again when this was only the first day and he was already a failure of a son?

He tried to retrace his steps back to the Common Room, but failed. He wasn't feeling very brave right now, and he jumped in fright when one of the portraits spoke, his voice breaking Peter out of his spiral of shame and doubt.

"If you're lost, there are two students your age heading your way. You should ask them for help, they look like they know where they're going."

Peter thanked the man in the painting profusely and headed toward the direction the portrait had told him his fellow students were.

He didn't have to walk for long, and he recognized the two boys instantly. Sirius Black and James Potter, he thought. He shared a dorm with them.

"Hi," he said, hating himself for stuttering already.

The two boys hadn't seemed to notice him before, but their eyes snapped to attention as he spoke.

"Hi," they echoed back with weak surprise. The shorter of the two - James, with the round glasses and the messy chestnut hair - stopped walking, the confusion in his eyes quickly replaced by revelation. "You're lost, aren't you?"

Peter merely nodded. "Ah, er, I was on my way to the Transfiguration classroom? But I can't find it," he stammered.

Instead of mocking him, James just nodded knowingly. "Well, lucky for you, Sirius and I were just headed there ourselves. Come on, you should join us - we wouldn't want to be late." As he spoke, he swung an arm around Peter's shoulder like they had been friends forever, a wide grin on his face.

"Ah, thanks?"

"Don't mention it," Sirius replied. He was grinning too. It made him look a bit mad, Peter noted, though at least he didn't look mean. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Friends. Peter smiled. He didn't feel scared anymore. "Yeah," he confirmed. "We're friends."


	5. Problem

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: Meeting a crush/girl/boyfriend and the Back to School Event: (word) problem.

This is set later than the first four drabbles, when they began their fourth year.

 _Word count:_ 430

 **Problem**

"Guys, I think we have a problem," Sirius stated, piling up potatoes swimming in gravy and sausages on his plate as Peter and Remus eyes him with disgusted awe.

"I don't even want to know where you put all that," Remus said, waving his fork. His own dinner consisted of a much healthier steak, accompanied with green beans and roasted potatoes and he was perfectly happy with it, thank you very much.

"I eat it, of course," Sirius replied, offended.

Peter snorted into his pumpkin juice, pulling back with a betrayed face as he coughed his drink away and wiped his nose clean. "Somehow, I don't think that you eating half the table was the problem you were talking about."

Sirius glared at him and at Remus, who wasn't even trying to hide his chuckles.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Sirius said, "While there is definitely nothing wrong with my eating habits, you are indeed correct, my good sir. Our problem has nothing to do with what I may or may not eat. It has to do with _this_!" He pointed theatrically at James, who was poking at his plate with a lovesick, loopy smile on his face.

"Oh, you mean James being in love," Remus said, nodding sagely.

"Wait, James is in love?" Peter asked disbelievingly. "Since when?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Since he saw _Lily Evans_ get in the carriages earlier," he grumbled. "Apparently he didn't see her on the train, and she 'completely changed over the summer, Sirius, why didn't you tell me she was hot before?' so now he's spending the welcoming feast staring at her instead of eating with us and plotting our welcoming prank, _the way he should be doing_." Sirius hissed the last part in James' direction, glaring, but James only hummed an answer too vague to make out.

"Wow," Peter said, "he's got it bad."

"I _know_ ," Sirius moaned. "What are we going to do? We can't be the Marauders without Prongs; then we'd only be Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail and it doesn't sound as good."

Remus patted him on the arm, biting back his laughter. "I'm sure James will come back to us." He sent a dubious look in James' direction, whose fork had now hit his cheek instead of entering his mouth, and winced. "Eventually. Right, James?"

"Uh?" James said. "Were you saying something?"

"I think it's hopeless," Peter stated, nodding sadly. "He's lost to us now."

James just stared at them blankly while Remus and Peter started laughing, Sirius faking sobs beside them. "Weirdoes," James muttered, "I've befriended weirdoes."


	6. Feast

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: Eating at the welcome feast.

 _Word count:_ 417

 **Feast**

Swallowing a mouthful of pork, Sirius mused aloud, "Don't you guys find it weird, that the food is never as good as it is on our first day back?"

"You do realize that you say the same thing every year, right?" Remus pointed out, tiredly spooning mashed potatoes onto his plate.

"And that every year, we give you the same answer?" Peter continued as he poured them all pumpkin juice.

"Which is that, 'No, it isn't weird, it's just that you've gotten unused to how good the food is here during the summer'," James finished, not even bothering to stop chewing on his chicken.

"In my defense, I'm pretty sure the House Elf is trying to poison me," Sirius said, "because I'm pretty sure it's not possible to be that bad of a cook."

His three friends frowned and exchanged concerned looks. "You know you're welcome to come live with me," James finally said. "You know my parents love you - more than their own son, sometimes," he added, mumbling mulishly the last part to himself.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "That's just because your parents have great taste, Prongs. And… I just might take you up on that, one day."

"Good," James replied. "That's good." Sensing that the mood was growing somber, James put on a smile and asked, "Anyway, Peter, Remus, what did you guys do during your summers?"

"Shouldn't you know?" Remus smirked. "I mean, we did visit you two weeks ago, _and_ we met up in Diagon Alley."

James pouted as Sirius and Peter laughed. "Go on, mock me, I who was enquiring so nicely about your holiday, out of concern for your health and happiness." James shook his head sadly, faking wiping tears off his eyes. "What kind of false friends are you?"

"We're obviously only using you for the money and fame," Peter replied, cheeks flushing slightly.

James put a hand to his heart like he'd been stabbed. "Betrayed! By those I trusted! How could you? Sirius, Remus, please tell me it isn't so?"

One look Sirius' way showed that the boy was lost - his cheeks were stained with tear tracks, and he was gripping his stomach in a move that said his laughter was hurting it. Meanwhile, Remus would be no help either, as he was slowly sipping at his cup of pumpkin juice, looking very dignified as he surveyed the chaos.

James lasted another few seconds of fake hurt before he dissolved into laughter himself.


	7. Dormitory

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: Going to the dormitory, rested and settled after the hectic day.

And back to first year, sequel-ish to Uniform.

 _Word count:_ 265

 **Dormitory**

Remus had barely had the time to find his bed - third in the room, by the window - and sit there, contemplating whether or not the fact that he was still so keyed up from his Sorting would overcome his exhaustion from this day, when that choice was basically taken away from him.

"Anyone up for Exploding Snap? James here owes me a match," a black-haired boy said. He gestured at the spectacled boy next to him as he said 'James', so Remus deducted that was the boy's name, and nodded in both Remus' and the last occupant of the room's direction as he made his offer. "I'm Sirius, by the way," he added.

"Peter," the last boy mumbled, fingers pulling at his sleeves, which only left Remus to introduce himself, which he did.

"So, anyone interested?" Sirius repeated.

Beside him, James rolled his eyes. "You do know you're just going to lose, right? Do you really want to have a bigger audience to you humiliation than before?"

"And _I_ think that you're just afraid you'll lose," Sirius retorted.

"As if," James scoffed. There was laughter in his eyes, and for a moment Remus let himself want. He let himself imagine he could join in that easy friendship James and Sirius seemed to already share. This wasn't for him, though.

From his bed, Peter quietly declined joining the game and, with a heavy heart, so did Remus.

He slept fitfully that night, but it was better this way. He had don what he had to do, and it had been the right thing.


	8. Old Friends

Written for Hogwarts' 1st September Event: Meeting old friends.

 _Word count:_ 447

 **Old Friends**

"Pete, my man, there you are!"

Two hands landed heavily on Peter's shoulders and he jumped with a startled yelp. "What the- _Sirius_?" He scowled. "Come, you guys seriously couldn't wait until we were on the train?"

"What, aren't you happy to see us, Pete?" Sirius laughed. "After two long months without us - without my scintillating company?"

Peter was glad to see that he wasn't the only one to snort at that, as both James and Remus were suddenly overcome with suspiciously fake coughing fits.

"Hi guys by the way," Peter said, waving half-enthusiastically. "And since when are you calling me _Pete_ anyway?"

"I was about to ask that, actually," Remus commented dryly, returning Peter's greeting with a smile.

Sirius pouted. "Why, you don't like it? I think it's _great_."

"It's only great if we get to call you Siri," Peter retorted.

"Oh, can we?" James cackled, batting his eyelashes at Sirius with a wide, laughing smile.

Sirius only smiled diabolically. "Of course, _Jamie_ ," he replied.

Remus merely snorted. "Fair warning, I'm eating the first one of you who calls me Remy or Remi or any variation on that theme."

Sirius' mouth shut with an audible click. "You're no fun," he pouted. "No fun at all."

James stayed silent, but Remus had to take a step back at the look on his face. He had seen it too many times already to think it would lead to anything good - it never did, when James' eyes shone with that amount of pride and mirth.

"Remus!" James shouted, pulling Remus into a hug before the werewolf had the time to blink. James patted his hair slowly, and Remus shared a weirded out look with his two other friends. "I'm so proud of you, making jokes about eating people like a grown-up now! You're finally going places!"

James pulled back, wiping fake tears off his eyes. "Sirius!" James yelled again. "Join me in celebrating Remus becoming a man at last!"

"I will _eat you_ ," Remus hissed as he found himself pulled into another hug, this time with both Sirius and James, and a few seconds later, Peter, too. " _Eat you_ ," he repeated.

"Please, you love us," James snorted when he finally pulled back.

"Yeah, you could never eat us," Peter confirmed.

"I'm too majestic for you to eat, anyway," Sirius added.

"I'd probably get an indigestion, you're right," Remus nodded, putting on a pitying smile. "Better not risk it."

Sirius pouted as they all laughed. He was still pouting when they got in a compartment.

"Come on, Prongs, you gotta be honest with me - I wouldn't give Moony an indigestion, right? Right?"

James merely laughed.


	9. Revisions

Written for Hogwarts' Back to School Event: (object) Flash/Revision Cards

 _Word count:_ 667

 **Revisions**

Remus liked the Library the most because of how quiet it iwa, and because of how much knowledge was at his fingertips. That was what made it the perfect place to revise for their end of the year exams, no matter how much his friends might prefer the common room.

He came often enough that he even had his favorite seat, that he'd found in perhaps his third week here. It was by a window, on a small table that could sit three or four at most, lodged between two Astronomy shelves.

Usually, he was alone at that table. Today, however, someone was already there, books piled up in precarious, wobbling towers in front of them. Remus would recognize that shock of red hair anywhere.

"Evans?" he asked. "I mean, er, Lily? Do you mind if I sit here?"

Lily looked up, looking as surprised to see Remus there as Remus had been to see her. "Oh, hi, Remus. And sure, you can sit - just give me a second, I'll clear up some space for you," she added, blushing slightly in embarrassment as she noted how cluttered the table was;.

And with magic, it really was a matter of seconds before Remus could sit there too.

"Your acolytes aren't with you today?" she asked nonchalantly.

Remus almost laughed. "No, they prefer to stay in the common room." As he reached into his bag to take out his books, his eyes were drawn to what Lily was doing. He knew enough to recognize Muggle paper when he saw it, but the multiple colors and neat handwriting drew his eyes all the same.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously. "I mean, if you don't mind telling me, that is."

Lily almost looked surprised that Remus would ask. "Oh, these?" she said, pointing at what might be best described as cards. "They're for revising. See, I put in the questions on one side, and then I write the answers on the other. That way, I can turn learning my lessons into something of a game - it was Mary's idea, but I'm in charge of half our subjects. Since, you know, it works better with a partner who can question you."

Remus nodded. "Wow, that's a great idea. Can I see?"

"Sure," Lily nodded, handing him one of her cards. "See? This is History. I can usually put in five or six questions on each cards, and I use a different color for each one."

"It's a great idea," Remus replied, handing her the card back. "Mind if I borrow it?" he asked, biting his lips.

"Of course not!" Lily said. "In fact, you're welcome to it. In fact, I haven't done all of my subjects yet, and I know for a fact that Mary isn't done with hers either, so why don't we split with you too? What do you think?"

Remus smiled. "I think that'd be perfect."

"Awesome," Lily cheered. "So, would you rather take Defense or Astronomy first? I've got dibs on Charms and Mary's already finished with Potions, but I know for a fact that these two haven't been touched yet."

It wasn't really a choice that took much consideration. Remus may be good at Astronomy, though mostly by virtue of tracking the moon calendar, but he much preferred Defense.

"I'll start with Defense then, I think," he announced.

Lily nodded. "Sounds good to me. You are good at Defense."

She said it like it was an evidence, like _of course Remus was good at this_ , and somehow that made him smile proudly. This was something he'd done right, if Lily acknowledged it so easily, and that was such a stark difference from what he'd expected to be months ago, when he had first gotten onto the Hogwarts Express, that it warmed his heart, making him think that maybe he really did belong here.

"Thanks," he said, and he wasn't thanking her just for the compliment.

Somehow, he rather thought Lily knew that.


	10. What We Miss

Written for Hogwarts' Back to School Event: (quote) 'When I say I miss school, I mean I miss my friends, not the school.'

 _Word count:_ 317

 **What We Miss**

"Ugh, I miss school. Don't you miss school? Don't you miss Hogwarts?" James groaned, voice half muffled by the pillow he had thrown over his face. He got up suddenly, sitting cross-legged on his bed and startling Sirius who was half asleep at the feet of the bed, having let the heat lull him into a dozed off state.

"Isn't it _sad_ that I mis school? Merlin, Padfoot, what has become of me that I miss school?" he asked dramatically.

"I'm pretty sure you don't actually miss _school_ , Prongs," Sirius replied dryly. "But you're bored - as am I - and you probably miss Remus, and Peter, and oh, yes, Lily, and being able to see them every day."

At her name, James let out a forlorn sigh, a lovesick look crossing his face. He let himself fall back on his bed, pillow clutched to his chest. "Do you think she'll go out with me this year, Sirius?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, confident that James couldn't see him doing it. "Maybe," he replied, unwilling to commit to anything else and be caught in a lie.

"I just don't understand why she doesn't like me, Sirius," he moaned. "I've done everything for her - I'm nice, and popular, and we're pranksters. Girls love funny guys! I just don't get it," James repeated dejectedly.

Sirius personally rather thought that Lily's feelings were closer to hatred than mere dislike, but since James wouldn't hear it, he simply hummed in agreement, shrugging.

"I don't get it either," he replied supportingly, "you're a catch, Prongs. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Padfoot," James smiled before sighing deeply, "but there's only one girl I want and _she_ doesn't want me."

Desperately wishing for any kind of distraction, and knowing that none would, Sirius said, "She'll come around, you'll see. If it's meant to be, she'll come around."


	11. Me, Myself and I

Written for Hogwarts' Back to School Event: (dialogue) "I had the worst thought: I've got to spend the rest of my life with myself."

 _Word count:_ 529

 **Me, Myself and I**

"James, James, wake up!"

"Ugh, Sirius, what is it?" James asked through a wide yawn, tucking his covers higher under his neck. He hoped his friend would understand his meaning, because he wasn't repeating his sentence.

"James!" Sirius hissed urgently again, dragging James back from the sleepy state he had been slipping back into contently.

James groaned, but he did open his eyes. When Sirius was in a mood like this, there was nothing to be done save for spelling him unconscious, but even that had been known to fail.

"Come on, Sirius, this couldn't wait until tomorrow? Or some slightly less illegally early hour?"

"No, it couldn't," Sirius said gravely. "I had the worst thought: I've got to spend the rest of my life with myself."

After an impossibly long moment of stunned disbelief, James buried his head in his pillow and screamed.

"You woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that?" James moaned. "Ugh, I can't believe you - wait, no, I can, and that's even worse!"

Perched on the edge of James' bed, body tucked toward its occupant, Sirius frowned. "For real, though, James - I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone. I can feel it."

James heaved a long sigh, and reluctantly sat up, shivering as his arms left the warm cocoon of his bed. He rubbed them together, hoping that this wouldn't last long enough for him to actually grown cold. "You're not going to spend the rest of your life alone, Sirius," he said with an impressive eyeroll. "You'll have me, and Remus, Peter, and even Lily, if she doesn't let go off my sorry ass at some point. You'll always have us."

Sirius' lips twitched up in a smirk, eyes suspiciously bright. "Your ass is entirely fine, though," he quipped, blinking away the dampness in eyes rapidly. "Lily'd be a fool to give that up."

James let out a surprised bark of laughter, muffling it in his fist before he could wake the others. "Thanks, Sirius. Now will you let me go back to sleep?"

Sirius seemed to feel better, because all he said was, "Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

" _Yes_ ," James hissed dangerously, reassured that Sirius would be alright if he could joke like this again. "Now be a good doggy and go back to _your_ bed."

"I'm hurt, Prongs, really hurt. Your words have stabbed me deeply, I don't think my heart can get over this betrayal," Sirius joked, painting fake hurt on his face.

"Well, then go be hurt elsewhere so I can sleep in peace," James retorted, biting back an amused smile.

"Alright, I see how it is then. Hurt, James, I'm _deeply_ hurt," Sirius emphasized as he stood up from James bed and left for his own. In the darkness, he looked almost like a ghost, haunting James for his mistakes. " _Hurt_ ," it seemed to hiss, the words echoing into the night.

He shivered. "You're okay, though, right?" he asked into the darkness.

Sirius huffed a laugh. "I'm fine, James," he said, and the darkness grew quiet again, lulling James right back to sleep.


	12. Like Men Do

Written for Hogwarts' Back to School Event: (dialogue) "I didn't even know that you were sexually active." and the Honeycomb Challenge: (character) James Potter.

 _Word count:_ 556

 **Like Men Do**

"My fellow Marauders, the day you've all been waiting for has finally come: I, Sirius Black, am now finally a man!"

Almost in unison, James, Remus and Peter choked on their drinks.

"What the hell, Sirius, come on. We're _eating_ , couldn't you keep this to yourself for a few more minutes," James moaned, hitting his head against the table.

"Yes, talk about things I did _not_ want to know," Remus added, rubbing at his temples with one hand and mopping at his robe with the other, his face the perfect picture of disgust.

"Yeah, Black, I didn't even know that you were sexually active," Mary Macdonald quipped loudly, smirking wildly. "But congrats on popping your cherry, I guess." She winked, before dissolving into giggles with the girl in front of her.

Sirius blinked, cheeks reddening rapidly. He sent them a roguish grin anyway and a wink of his own as he sat down.

"What did I say?" he whispered urgently to his friends.

They all looked at him disbelievingly. "Sirius," Remus explained slowly, "you just told everyone, _loudly_ , that you'd just 'become a man'. What did you expect would happen?"

Sirius froze, a sheepish smile on his face. "Not this?" He leaned in closer. "I just meant that I found _it_!"

When the three only kept looking more and more grossed out, Sirius rolled his eyes. "Get your minds out of the gutter - wow, I can't believe I'm actually the one telling you this right now! I meant my _form_ , you know - the one we've been trying to find?" He wiggled his eyebrows pointedly, not voicing the word Animagus in such a crowded place.

James and Peter's eyes widened in understanding at almost the same time, Remus' only a few seconds behind.

"Tell us everything!" James ordered urgently, brown eyes filled with burning passion as he grabbed Sirius' wrist. "We need to know!"

Sirius laughed."You'd know already if you hadn't left me behind this morning," he teased.

"In our defense, we were hungry and you wouldn't wake up," Remus explained, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Well, then you clearly can wait for me to enjoy this magnificent breakfast," Sirius pouted, scooping onto his plate a very generous serving of scrambled eggs.

An impatient kind of silence settled in over their little piece of the table as they watched Sirius eat.

"I don't get it," Peter suddenly said, brow furrowed in thought. "What does this have to do with you 'becoming a man'?"

Remus shrugged, smirking. "You know Sirius - he probably just wanted to be dramatic for the sake of being dramatic."

"Hey!" Sirius protested. "I'm not dramatic - cite on time I've been dramatic!"

Everyone laughed and James patted him on the arm. "Sorry, mate, but you're pretty much _always_ dramatic."

"Don't worry," Peter added in a pitying tone, "we love you anyway."

Sirius pouted. "Fine, be like this - I just won't have to tell you what I found then."

"Don't you mean how you 'became a man'?" Remus quipped, eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Screw you, Remus. Screw you," Sirius spluttered, choking on a mouthful of bacon and eggs. "Why are we friends again?" he moaned.

"It's cause you love us," James explained, winking. "Now come on, I believe you have a story for us, haven't you?"


	13. Mishap

Written for Hogwarts' Back to School Event: (dialogue) "If you haven't noticed, I am a woman now. I wear a bra!"

 _Word count:_ 122

 **Mishap**

"If you haven't noticed, I am a woman now. I wear a bra!"

Of all the sentences Remus had ever thought he would hear coming out of Sirius' mouth, this hadn't been one of them. For some reason, though, he thought that he should rather have expected it. It was, after all, the kind of nonsense that screamed 'Sirius Black'.

"Nope, I refuse, this isn't happening," he said, turning right back around and marching out of their shared dorms, yelling at James and Peter, who were laughingly trying to deal with a Sirius who was either in drag or had been turned into a woman (both options were unfortunately just as likely here) that, "You can deal with this without me!"


End file.
